Matthew 22:5

KJV

But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

KJV (with Strong's)

But {G1161} they made light of {G272} it, and went their ways {G565}, one {G3303} to {G1519} his {G2398} farm {G68}, another {G1161} to {G1519} his {G846} merchandise {G1711}:

Complete Jewish Bible

But they weren't interested and went off, one to his farm, another to his business;

Berean Standard Bible

But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business.

American Standard Version

But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 22:5 depicts the apathetic response of the initial invitees to the king's wedding feast, illustrating a profound spiritual indifference to God's gracious invitation. Rather than embracing the honor and joy of the royal celebration, these individuals casually dismissed the summons, prioritizing their personal economic pursuits—their farms and merchandise—over the divine call, thereby highlighting the dangers of worldly preoccupation eclipsing spiritual readiness and commitment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Matthew 22:5 is an integral part of Jesus' [Parable of the Wedding Feast](/matthew/22-1-14 "Matthew 22:1-14 - The Parable of the Wedding Feast"), delivered to the chief priests and Pharisees in the temple, immediately following the parables of the [Two Sons](/matthew/21-28-32 "Matthew 21:28-32 - The Parable of the Two Sons") and the [Wicked Tenants](/matthew/21-33-46 "Matthew 21:33-46 - The Parable of the Wicked Tenants"). These parables collectively serve as a powerful indictment against the religious leaders and the nation of Israel for their rejection of God's messengers and, ultimately, His Son. In this particular parable, the king represents God, the son is Jesus Christ, and the wedding feast symbolizes the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven and salvation. The initial guests symbolize the Jewish people, specifically their leaders, who repeatedly rejected God's invitations extended through the prophets and John the Baptist, and would soon reject Jesus Himself. The verse highlights their dismissive attitude toward this ultimate invitation.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, a royal wedding feast was an event of immense social and political significance. Invitations were highly esteemed, and attendance was expected as a mark of honor and loyalty to the king. To refuse such an invitation, especially from a king, was not merely impolite but a grave insult, potentially interpreted as an act of disloyalty or rebellion. The act of sending servants to gather guests was customary, often with an initial invitation followed by a second summons when the feast was ready. The mention of "farm" (agrós) and "merchandise" (emporía) reflects common, legitimate daily occupations in an agrarian and mercantile society. However, these activities, when prioritized over a royal summons, underscore a deep-seated value system that placed personal gain and worldly affairs above honor, relationship, and divine decree. This context amplifies the severity of the guests' casual dismissal, revealing a profound lack of respect for the king's authority and generosity.

* **Key Themes:** Matthew 22:5 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Foremost is the theme of **Divine Invitation and Human Response**. God consistently extends grace and opportunity, but humanity often responds with indifference, as seen in this verse, or outright hostility. This verse specifically highlights **Spiritual Apathy and Worldly Preoccupation** as significant barriers to entering God's kingdom. The guests' prioritization of their daily work over the king's feast serves as a stark warning against allowing temporal concerns to eclipse eternal ones, echoing Jesus' teaching in [Matthew 6:33](/matthew/6-33 "Matthew 6:33 - Seek First the Kingdom of God"). The verse also subtly introduces the theme of **Consequences of Rejection**, as the parable later reveals the severe repercussions for those who scorn the king's invitation, leading to the invitation being extended to others ([Matthew 22:8-10](/matthew/22-8-10 "Matthew 22:8-10 - The Invitation Extended to All")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **made light of (Greek, _ameléō'_):** This word signifies a profound lack of care, neglect, or disregard. It's not necessarily active hostility but a dangerous indifference, a casual dismissal of something important. In this context, it speaks to the guests' contemptuous attitude towards the king's gracious and honorable invitation, treating it as trivial or bothersome rather than a privilege.
* **farm (Greek, _agrós'_):** Literally meaning "field," this term refers to agricultural land or a piece of ground, often implying a rural dwelling or hamlet. It represents the daily labor, sustenance, and foundational economic activity for many in that society. Its mention here signifies the guests' preoccupation with their basic needs and earthly livelihoods.
* **merchandise (Greek, _emporía'_):** This word denotes "traffic" or "business," referring to commercial activity, trade, and the pursuit of wealth. It represents the more entrepreneurial and profit-driven aspects of worldly engagement. Coupled with "farm," it paints a comprehensive picture of individuals consumed by their material and financial pursuits.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But they made light of [it],"**: This opening phrase immediately sets a tone of dismissiveness and apathy. The "it" refers to the king's invitation, highlighting the guests' profound lack of respect or concern for such a significant summons. Their reaction is not one of polite refusal or legitimate inability, but rather a casual, almost contemptuous, disregard for the king's honor and the feast's importance.
* **"and went their ways,"**: This clause emphasizes the guests' immediate and decisive action of turning away from the invitation. It suggests a determined movement towards their own priorities, indicating that their worldly engagements were not merely distractions but chosen paths that actively drew them away from the king's call.
* **"one to his farm,"**: This specifies the first reason for their departure. The "farm" represents the foundational, everyday labor and economic security. For this guest, the demands of agricultural work, or perhaps the desire for its fruits, superseded the royal invitation, illustrating how even legitimate daily responsibilities can become idols when they displace God's call.
* **"another to his merchandise:"**: This provides the second reason, pointing to commercial endeavors and the pursuit of profit. This guest's focus on business and wealth accumulation demonstrates how the desire for material gain can blind individuals to spiritual opportunities and responsibilities, leading them to neglect the most significant invitations.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. **Parable** is the overarching literary form, using an earthly story to convey a heavenly truth about the Kingdom of God and human response. Within this parable, **Symbolism** is evident: the king symbolizes God, the wedding feast represents the blessings of salvation and fellowship with God, and the guests symbolize those invited to partake in these blessings. The "farm" and "merchandise" are symbolic of worldly pursuits and material preoccupations that distract from spiritual priorities. Furthermore, there is a subtle **Irony** in the guests' actions. They are invited to a grand, honorable, and joyous royal feast—an event of immense social standing and pleasure—yet they choose instead to return to their mundane, often arduous, daily labors. This highlights the spiritual blindness that prioritizes the temporal and fleeting over the eternal and truly fulfilling.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 22:5 profoundly underscores the biblical theme of humanity's persistent tendency to prioritize temporal concerns over eternal realities. It reveals a dangerous spiritual apathy that treats God's gracious invitation with indifference, rather than the reverence and urgency it deserves. This rejection is not always outright rebellion but often a subtle, insidious neglect born of preoccupation with the mundane. The verse serves as a stark reminder that God's kingdom demands our primary allegiance, and anything that supplants that—even legitimate daily activities—can become an idol leading to spiritual forfeiture. It highlights the tension between the demands of the world and the call of God, urging listeners to consider where their true treasures lie and what they truly value.

* [Luke 14:16-24](/luke/14-16-24 "Luke 14:16-24 - The Parable of the Great Supper")
* [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "Matthew 6:24 - No One Can Serve Two Masters")
* [Hebrews 2:3](/hebrews/2-3 "Hebrews 2:3 - How Shall We Escape if We Neglect So Great a Salvation?")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 22:5 serves as a timeless mirror, inviting us to critically examine our own lives and priorities. In our modern, fast-paced world, the "farm" and "merchandise" have taken on new forms—demanding careers, endless entertainment, social media, material accumulation, and the relentless pursuit of personal comfort or success. This verse challenges us to ask whether we, too, are "making light" of God's ongoing invitations: His call to worship, to serve, to study His Word, to engage in fellowship, or to share the Gospel. Are we allowing the legitimate, yet often consuming, demands of daily life to overshadow our spiritual growth and commitment to Christ? The parable reminds us that spiritual indifference, while perhaps less overtly sinful than outright rebellion, is equally detrimental, leading to a forfeiture of the abundant life God offers. Our response to God's grace reveals the true state of our hearts and determines our participation in His eternal feast.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "farms" or "merchandise" in my life currently distract me from fully embracing God's invitations?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater sense of urgency and appreciation for God's grace and call, rather than treating it with indifference?**
* **In what practical ways can I reorder my priorities to ensure that God's kingdom remains my primary pursuit?**
* **Am I truly seeking first the Kingdom of God, or am I allowing worldly concerns to subtly displace my devotion?**

### FAQ

**What does it mean that "they made light of it"?**

Answer: The phrase "made light of it" (Greek: _ameléō_) signifies a profound lack of care, neglect, or disregard. It's not necessarily an active, hostile rejection, but rather a casual, almost contemptuous, dismissal of something important. In the context of Matthew 22:5, it means the invited guests treated the king's honorable and gracious invitation to his son's wedding feast as trivial, unimportant, or bothersome. They showed no respect for the king's authority or generosity, choosing instead to prioritize their own mundane affairs. This highlights a dangerous spiritual apathy that can lead to missing out on divine blessings.

**Why are "farm" and "merchandise" specifically mentioned as distractions?**

Answer: "Farm" (agrós) and "merchandise" (emporía) represent the two primary economic activities in ancient agrarian and mercantile societies. The farm symbolizes daily labor, sustenance, and basic livelihood, while merchandise represents business, trade, and the pursuit of wealth. These are not inherently evil activities; they are legitimate aspects of daily life. However, their specific mention here underscores how even legitimate worldly pursuits can become ultimate distractions when they eclipse God's call. They symbolize the common human tendency to prioritize material security, personal gain, and the demands of daily life over spiritual opportunities and the divine invitation, illustrating that anything that takes precedence over God can become an idol. Jesus Himself warned about the dangers of serving two masters in [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "Matthew 6:24 - No One Can Serve Two Masters").

**Is it wrong for Christians to work or own a business, given this verse?**

Answer: No, this verse does not condemn work or business in themselves. The Bible consistently affirms the value of diligent labor and responsible stewardship (e.g., [Proverbs 6:6-11](/proverbs/6-6-11 "Proverbs 6:6-11 - Go to the Ant, You Sluggard"), [1 Thessalonians 4:11-12](/1_thessalonians/4-11-12 "1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - Live Quietly and Work with Your Hands")). The issue in Matthew 22:5 is not the activities themselves, but the guests' *prioritization* of these activities over a clear, divine invitation. Their sin was spiritual apathy and a lack of regard for the king's honor, allowing worldly concerns to consume their attention and commitment. The lesson is about the danger of allowing anything—even good and necessary things—to become an idol or a distraction that prevents us from responding to God's call and participating in His kingdom. Our work should be done as unto the Lord ([Colossians 3:23](/colossians/3-23 "Colossians 3:23 - Work Heartily, as for the Lord")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 22:5, in its portrayal of the invited guests' apathetic rejection of the king's feast, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the historical and ongoing response to Jesus Christ. The "king's son" for whom the feast is prepared is unequivocally Jesus, the Messiah, whose coming inaugurated the Kingdom of God. The initial invitation, scorned by those who prioritized their "farms" and "merchandise," powerfully foreshadows Israel's widespread rejection of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Despite Jesus' gracious and persistent calls to repentance and faith, many, especially the religious leaders, were too preoccupied with their own traditions, power, and worldly concerns to recognize or accept Him as the promised Savior ([John 1:11](/john/1-11 "John 1:11 - He Came to His Own")). This rejection, as depicted in the parable, ultimately led to the gospel invitation being extended beyond Israel to the Gentiles, fulfilling prophecies of a worldwide salvation ([Acts 13:46-47](/acts/13-46-47 "Acts 13:46-47 - The Gospel to the Gentiles")). Thus, the "wedding feast" culminates in the ultimate union of Christ and His Church, the "marriage supper of the Lamb" in Revelation, to which all are now invited through faith in Him ([Revelation 19:7-9](/revelation/19-7-9 "Revelation 19:7-9 - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb")). Matthew 22:5, therefore, serves as a poignant reminder of the cost of neglecting Christ's invitation and the boundless grace that subsequently extended the offer to all who would come.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him];

Luke 14:18

And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

Luke 14:20

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

1 John 2:15

Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 2:16

For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Proverbs 1:7

¶ The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Acts 24:25

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.